-t
t
-582293
1 s t I n t e r n a t i o n a l C ongress on th e
H i s t o r y o f Turki s h - Is la n d c S c ie n c e and T e ch n o lo g y
I s t a n b u l T e c h n i c a l U n i v e r s i t y 14-18 September 1981
ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOTELS IN NINETEENTH CENTURY ISTANBUL
A l i E s a t G ö k s e l, M.A. TDMMA F a c u l t y o f A r c h i t e c t u r e Sinan Ku n eralp P .K . 88 Karaköy Department o f A r c h i t e c t u r a l I s t a n b u l D esign P r o j e c t I s t a n b u l Synopsi s
H o t e l s i n th e co n tem porary sen se w ere e s t a b l i s h e d i n I s t a n b u l i n th e l a t e 1830’ s . T h is paper examines th e f a c i l i t i e s a v a i l a b l e t o t r a v e l l e r s p r i o r t o t h a t d a t e and s t u d i e s th e r e a s o n s l e a d i n g t o th e op en in g o f th e f i r s t h o t e l s i n t h a t d eca d e. H o t e l s w ere b a s i c a l l y a c o n c e p t a l i e n t o th e Ottoman s o c i e t y o f t h a t day and t h e y w ere opened by f o r e i g n e r s f o r th e b e n e f i t o f o t h e r f o r e i g n e r s . The paper examines l o c a t i o n ,management and s t a n d a r t s o f th e h o t e l s and t h e r e i s a b r i e f p r o f i l e o f th e a c t i v i t i e s o f M i g i r d i ç T o k a t l i a n an e n t e r p r i s i n g
businessman who e s t a b l i s h e d a s m a ll s c a l e h o t e l e m p ire .
Th ere f o l l o w s an a r c h y t e c t u r a l a n a l y s i s o f th e main h o t e l s b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n s o f h o t e l s bo th down town i n P e ra and i n r e s o r t - p l a c e s on t h e Bosphorus and th e P r i n c e s ’ I s l a n d s .
The i n i t i a l aim o f t h i s paper was t o stu d y th e a r c h i t e c t u r a l and s o c i a l im p a ct o f th e a ppearan ce d u rin g th e f i r s t h a l f o f then X IX th . c e n t u r y o f h o t e l s i n I s t a n b u l . However as we s e t o u t g a t h e r i n g d a ta we soon d i s c o v e r e d how s c a n t t h e a v a i l a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n was. We t h e r e f o r e had t o pu t up w i t h a l e s s a m b itio u s programm by l i m i t i n g o u r s e l v e s t o r a i s e a fe w t e n t a t i v e q u e s t io n s on a h i t h e r t o n e g l e c t e d a s p e c t o f th e urban t r a s f o r m a t i o n o f I s t a n b u l du rin g th e p a s t c e n t u r y . ( 1 )
H o t e l s p r o v i d e on a tem pora ry b a s i s l o d g i n g s , n o u r r i shment and o c c a s i o n a l l y e n t e r t a i n m e n t . They a re t h e r e f o r e i n e v i t a b l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h one o r a n o th er a s p e c t o f t r a v e l and t r a v e l l e r s . T h is may be one o f th e r e a s o n s why such e s t a b lis h m e n t s were so l a t e i n a p p e a r in g i n Ottoman Turkey and why t h e y e x p e r ie n c e d so much h a r d s h ip i n s t r i k i n g r o o t s . In d e e d , t r a v e l l i n g was u n t i l v e r y r e
c e n t l y a c o n c e p t a l i e n t o t h e a v e r a g e Turk who u s u a l l y c o n te m p la
t e d th e v e r y i d e a o f m oving around from one p l a c e t o a n o th er
w i t h a b h o re n ce . O f f i c i a l s s e n t o u t o n m is s io n s t o th e p r o v i n c e s w ere a b l e t o ta k e a d va n ta g e o f an i n t r i c a t e system o f c o r v e e , i n h e r i t e d from th e B y z a n tin e whereby th e l o c a l n o t a b l e s w ere t o p r o v i d e f r e e accom odation t o t o u r i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f th e c e n t r a l and p r o v i n c i a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . (Kudum iye/Teşri f i y e ) The g e n t t l e - man o f l e i s u r e who t r a v e l l e d f o r p l e a s u r e o r s e l f- i m p r o v e m e n t was a v e r y r a r e s p e c i e s and t r a d e r s b r i n g i n g t h e i r wares t o th e l a r g e r m a r k e t - p l a c e s were c a t e r e d f o r i n th e k e r v a n s a r a y o r th e h a n .
The W estern t r a v e l l e r s who v e n t u r e d i n t o th e Ottoman E a st had th e c h o i c e o f e i t h e r w i t h t h e i r own n a t i o n a l s who had s e t t l e d l o c a l l y o r o f a s k in g th e h o s p i t a l i t y o f Orthodox c o n v e n ts o r m o n a s t e r i e s . G reek monks p r o v i d e d l o d g i n g s f o r t r a v e l l e r s w e l l up t o t h e 18 70 's
A French g u id e - b o o k n o t e s t h a t th e G reek monks had no e x c e s s i v e
p r e t e n t i o n s t o a u s t e r i t y and t h a t th e y welcomed t r a v e l l e r s . The monks d i d n o t su pp ly fo o d t o t h e i r g u e s t s but on th e o t h e r hand
th e y w ere p r o f u s e l y g en e ro u s w i t h t h e i r w in e . ( 2 )
Much has been w r i t t e n on th e k e r v a n s a r a y and t h e han. L e t us sim p ly r e c a l l b r i e f l y t h a t a han was a l a r g e , sq u are building u s u a l l y o f s t o n e w i t h a s p a c io u s i n n e r c o u r t around which s t o r e - h o u s e s f o r m erch an d ise w ere l i n e d up. On th e upper f l o o r s w ere t o be found
s p a r c e l y fu r n is h e d rooms a lo n g a v a u l t e d p a ss a g e b u i l t on co lu m n s. t h i s c i r c u l a r g a l l e r y opened on th e in n e r c o u r t . The c l i e n t è l e o f th e hans w ere u s u a l l y t r a d e r s and m erchants who t o o k a room f o r t h e m s e lv e s on th e f l o o r s and a d e p o t on t h e c o u r t f o r t h e i r g o o d s . B u sin ess was conducted i n th e han i t s e l f where a l l k in d s o f com m e r c i a l t r a n s a c t i o n t o o k p l a c e . Most o f t h e I s t a n b u l hans w ere d i v i d e d on n a t i o n a l l i n e s and t r a d e r s b e l o n g i n g t o th e same n a t i o n a
l i t y would c o n g r e g a t e i n one p a r t i c u l a r han. The XIXth C en tu ry French w r i t e r G era rd de N e r v a l , f o r i n s t a n c e , g i v e s an accoun t o f one such han f r e q u e n t e d m o s t ly by P e r s i a n f u r m erch an ts. ( 3 ) I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t a G reek form o f th e Ottoman w ord,
" k h a n i " has come by e x t e n t i o n t o be used i n th e sense o f a com
mon v i l l a g e i n n . A g u id e - b o o k g i v e s a v i v i d though u n i n v i t i n g d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e a m e n it ie s o f f e r e d by th e a v e r a g e Greek K h a n ii i n th e 1 8 7 0 's :
Le Khani e s t un b a tim e n t où l ' o n ne t r o u v e nue l e t o i t e t l e s a u a t r e
murs. I l se compose d 'u n e chambre unique^ l e s f e n ê t r e s quant i l yen
en a s o n t à p e i n e fe rm é es par un v o l e t de b o i s . O u e l g u e f o i s un
p la n c h e r une e s p è c e de l i t de camps, ra re m e n t une n a t t e en fo rm en t l'a m e u b le m e n t. Les t a b l e s e t s u r t o u t l e s ch ai ses y so n t p re sa u e i n connues Le vo y a g e u r d o i t a p p o r t e r a vec l u i son l i t , ses p r o v i s i o n s de bouche. Le landemain on p a i e au k h a n ci un p r i x a s s e z é l e v é pour un g î t e au ssi m au va is” ( 4 ) . L e t us a l s o p o i n t o u t t h a t th e f i r s t
-f t o t e l opened i n E d ir n e i n th e l a t e 1 8 6 0 's , th e "Au berge de l ' E t o i l e " was i n f a c t b u i l t on th e l i n e s o f a t r a d i t i o n a l o n e - s t o r e y e d han w i t h rooms f o r t r a v e l l e r s on t h e upper f l o o r o v e r l o o k i n g a square
y a r d w i t h a f o u n t a i n i n th e m id d le . As u su al rooms w ere h a r d l y
f u r n i s h e d a t a l l and fo o d was n o t s e r v e d i n th e h o t e l ( 5 ) .
One can t h e r e f o r e assume t h a t h o t e l s a r e a f o r e i g n a c c r e t i o n e n g r a f t upon th e l o c a l t e x t u r e . In deed a t r a v e l b o o k p u b lis h e d i n 1839 warns th e t r a v e l l e r s t o I s t a n b u l n o t t o e x p e c t much as f a r as m a t e r i a l c o m f o r t g o e s but adds " t o u t e f o i s l ’ i n d u s t r i e des n a t i o n s c i v i l i s é e s s ' y e s t la rg e m e n t i n s t a l l é e s d ep u is q u e lq u es années pour a s s u r e r t o u t e s l e s commodités de l ' e x i s t e n c e m a t e r i e l l e . " ( 6 ) The w r i t e r p r o c e e d s t o s t a t e t h a t among t h o s e im p o r te d "com m odités" t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l m o d e r a t e ly p r i c e d and w e l l a p p o in te d h o t e l s .
H o t e l s seem t o h ave appeared i n I s t a n b u l i n th e 1830' s as a r e s u l t bo th o f th e i n c r e a s e d m o b i l i t y caused by t h e e x t e n t i o n o f steam n a v i g a t i o n and o f th e o p en in g up o f th e Ottoman Empire t o f o r e i g n t r a d e and f i n a n c e which r e s u l t e d i n an i n f l u x o f w ou ldTbe e n t r e p r e n e u r s v i s i t i n g th e Ottoman c a p i t a l and p r o v i n c e s . In d eed , d u r in g th e f o l l o w i n g decades most o f th e m ajor c i t i e s g o t endowed w i t h one o r more e s t a b lis h m e n t s p r o v i d i n g " c e c o m fo r t r e l a t i f que l ' o n e s t b ie n heureux de r e n c o n t r e r dans l e s p e t i t e s v i l l e s d ’ Or i e n t a p rè s de lo n g u es jo u r n é e s à c h e v a l e t l e s s t a t i o n s dans l e s hans ou ch ez l e s p a y s a n s " . ( 7 )
Th at t h e s e e s t a b lis h m e n t s w ere f o r e i g n bo th i n t h e i r i n s p i r a t i o n and t h e i r i n c e p t i o n i s t e s t i f i e d by s e v e r a l f a c t o r s , th e f i r s t
b e in g o f a sem a n tic n a t u r e . B i a n c h i ' s F r e n c h -T u r k is h D i c t i o n a r y
p u b lis h e d i n 1846 g i v e s a c o r r u p t e d form o f an I t a l i a n word, l o s t a r i y e as a T u rk is h e a u i v a l e n t f o r h o t e l . The w ell-k n o w n Tu r k i s h l e x i c o g r a p h e r , Ş e m s e t tin Sami Bey, i n h i s Kamus-u Tu rki p u b lis h e d f i f t y y e a r s l a t e r d e f i n e s a l o s a r i y e as b e in g a sm a ll l o k a n t a , a n o th e r word o f I t a l i a n o r i g i n which a g a in a c c o r d in g t o t h e Kamus İ s a p l a c e " where f o r e i g n e r s and t r a v e l l e r s may l o d g e and o b t a i n n o u r r i sh m e n t". In h i s F r e n c h -T u r k is h D i c t i o n a - r y p u b l i s h e d i n th e same y e a r s Ş e m s e ttin Sami t r a n s l a t e d h o t e l w i t h th e word m i s a f i r h a n e . As a second c h o i c e he g i v e s a p h o n e t i - c a l t r a n s l i t e r a t i o n i n Ottoman o f th e word h o t e l . The Kamus d e f i nes a m i s a f i r h a n e as b e in g an a l i a f r a n c a b u i l d i n g eq u ip p ed w ith a l l t h e p r e - r e q u i s i t e f o r c o m fo r t and r e s t . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t Ş e m s e t tin Sami who had a dopted th e axiom o f M essrs L i t t r é and L a ro u s s e t h a t a d i c t i o n a r y w it h o u t exam ples i s n o t a d i c t i o n a r y , ch o se h i s w i t h a d e f i n i t e d i d a c t i c v i e w . In th e e n t r y f f o r lokanka one can f i n d a s ta te m e n t t o th e e f f e c t t h a t "we s t a y e d i n a c l e a n 1 . " . S i m i l a r l y th e example used t o i l l u s t r a t e th e v e r b konmak , ( t o s t a y i n a p l a c e , t o l o d g e ) i s a s e n t e n c e r e m i n i
s c i n g s t r o n g l y o f th e k u d u m iy e/ teşri f i y e t a x e s : p a s s in g through
t h e r e we s t a y e d a t th e house o f one o f th e l o c a l g e n t r y . "
But enough o f l i n g u i s t i c s . G la n c in g tro u g h th e v a r i o u s l i s t s o f h o t e l s t h a t opened i n I s t a n b u l and th e p r o v i n c e s d u rin g th e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y one f i n d s o u t q u i c k l y t h a t t h e s e e s t a b lis h m e n t s c a t e r i n g f o r Europeans w ere owned and run by Europeans. Th ere was a l s o th e o c c a s i o n a l non-moslem Ottoman. But one has t o w a i t
t i l l th e 1880' s t o f i n d a Moslem Ottoman and a H a c ı a t t h a t , ru n n in g a h o t e l , one H a c ı Ahmet N uri E fe n d i who owned th e H o t e l - R e s t a u r a n t de R o u m elie a t S i r k e c i . One can o n l y s p e c u l a t e i n our p r e s e n t s t a t e o f kn ow ledge t h a t th e H a c ı may have been a r e f u g e e o r
o r an im m igran t from one o f t h e Ro u m elie P r o v i n c e s ceded t o Aus t r i a , Romani a o r B u l g a r i a and t h a t he may have o b s e r v e d b e f o r e h i s d e p a r tu r e th e b e n e f i t s o f such e s t a b l i s m e n t s . S t i l l t h i s i s mere s p e c u l a t i o n as he may a l t e r n a t i v e l y chosen th e name o f h i s h o t e l because o f th e p r o x i m i t y o f t h e n ew ly opened r a i l w a y s t a t i o n o f th e Chemins de F er de R o u m e lie .
H o t e l s c a t e r i n g as we h a ve s a i r m a in ly f o r f o r e i g n e r s w ere e s t a b l i shed i n th o s e p a r t s o f I s t a n b u l where t h e s e were more numerous.
Pera w i t h i t s l a r g e community o f r e s i d e n t f o r e i g n e r s and non-moslems had n a t u r a l l y p r i d e o f p l a c e . In th e e a r l i e r y e a r s some h o t e l s w were a l s o e s t a b l i s h e d around G a l a t a , The b u s in e s s q u a r t e r bu t th t h e s e e s t a b lis h m e n t s soon tu rn ed seed y and th e b e t t e r c l a s s o f cu stom ers d e s e r t e d them i n fa v o u r o f th e P e ra h o t e l s . L i k e w i s e t th e two v i l l a g e s on th e Bosphorus, Büyükdare and Tarabya w i t h a l a r g e and d i s t i n g u i s h e d f o r e i g n community w ere soon t o b o a s t o f n o t a fe w h o t e l s . H o t e l s w ere a l s o e s t a b l i s h e d i n th e Moda p e n in
s u la on th e A s ia n s h o re where an im p o r t a n t E n g lis h c o l o n y had s e t t l e d . The E n g lis h w ere a l s o in s t r u m e n t a l i n th e op en in g o f
h o t e l s on th e P r i n c e s ’ I s l a n d s when t h e s e i s l a n d s w ere
tu rn ed i n t o f a s h i o n a b l e summer r e s o r t s d u r in g th e 1 8 8 0 's , w i t h
th e i n a u g u r a t i o n o f th e S i r k e c i r a i l w a y s t a t i o n , s e v e r a l h o t e l s
w ere e s t a b l i s h e d c l o s e t o th e s t a t i o n though one does n o t w it n e s s a s i m i l a r phenomenon w i t h th e o op en in g o f th e Haydarpaşa s t a t i o n , s t a r t i n g p o i n t o f th e A n a t o l i a n R a ilw a y .
The P e ra h o t e l s w ere u s u a l l y t o be found i n th e p r o x i m i t y o f th e f o r e i g n em b assies and t h e i r names b ear t e s t im o n y t o th e n a t i o n a l i t y o r th e a l l e g i a n c e o f t h e i r owners : G ra n d -H o te l F r a n ç a i s , The P r i n c e o f W a le s , H o t e l de B r e s la u , H o t e l d ' A n g l e t e r r e , de Ro me, d ' A thènes e t c . The i n e v i t a b l e H o t e l Du Terminus o r H o t e l
de l a Gare does n o t u n f o r t u n a t e l y appear among th e S i r k e c i h o t e l s , t h e i r owners b e in g more i m a g i n a t i v e o r g e o g r a p h i c a l l y minded
w it h such names as H o t e l d 'E u r o p e ,d e S o f i a , d 'a n d r i n o p l e though a French widow run a H o t e l - R e s t a u r a n t - B r a s s e r i e desChemins de F ers O r ie n ta u x j u s t o p p o s i t e th e s t a t i o n .
These h o t e l s w ere l i t e r a l l y s m a ll f o r e i g n e n c la v e s where n a t i o n a l s
o f one c o u n tr y wouibd g a t h e r t o p a r ta k e o f t h e i r oirn f o o d , w i n e and
most im p o r t a n t r e a d t h e i r newspaper i n th e c a b i n e t de l e c t u r e put a t th e d i s p o s a l o f t h e i r cu stom ers by most h o t e l s . Germans, Aust t r i a n s , Hungarians I t a l i a n s and th e French had t h e i r own h o t e l s . T h ere was even one h o t e l f o r C e n t r a l European Jews which a d v e r
t i s e d i n th e Beadeker t h a t Y i d d i s h was spoken. A d v e r tis e m e n t s
r e f l e c t e d n a t i o n a l p r e f e r e n c e s w i t h French-owned h o t e l s p u t t i n g
emphasis on th e " c u i s i n e f r a n ç a i s e , bon v i n " theme.
Though many h o t e l s w ere e s t a b l i s h e d a f t e r th e 1840' s t h e s e w ere u s u a l l y s m a ll a f f a i r s i n c o n v e r t e d p r i v a t e houses w i t h a room c a p a c i t y a v e r a g i n g 20-30 p e r e s t a b l i s h m e n t and f a i r l y po o r s t a n - d a r t s . Th ere a r e two c o n f l i c t i n g s ta te m e n ts which seem t o i n d i c a t e t h a t e i t h e r a c e r t a i n d e t e r i o r a t i o n d id ta k e p l a c e as th e num ber o f h o t e l s i n c r e a s e d i n th e 1860's o r t h a t t h e cu stom ers have le a r n e d t o be more demanding. L a c r o i x w r o t e i n 1839 t h a t th e Pera h o t e l s a r e r e a s o n a b ly p r i c e d and t h a t t h e y o f f e r adequ ate s e r v i c e . On th e o t h e r hand Is a m b e r t w r i t i n g some 35 y e a r s l a t e r s i s more s e v e r e o r more d i s c r i m i n a t e : he co m p lain s o f th e p r e d a t o r y n e s s o f h o t e l owners whom he a ccu se s o f o v e r - c h a r g i n g t h e i r rooms. He
goes* as f a r as s u g g e s t i n g t o th e w o u ld -b e t r a v e l l e r t o t a k e up
-rooms w i t h p r i v a t e i n d i v i d u a l s as b e in g bo th ch ea p er and more c o n v e n i e n t . The same Is a m b e r t a l s o r e g r e t s t h a t t h e r e a r e no
h o t e l s i n th e o l d p a r t o f I s t a n b u l and s u g g e s t s t h a t Ottoman kon- aks be tu rn e d i n t o h o s t e l s f o r t o u r i s t s as i t had s u c c e s f u l l y b e en done i n Damascus. ( I t i s r e f r e s h i n g t o s e e t h a t t h e r e i s n o t h i n g new under th e sky when one r e a d s o f th e e f f o r t s o f th e p r e s e n t day T u r k is h M i n i s t r y o f Tourism i n th e same d i r e c t i o n . As a m a t t e r o f f a c t one has t o w a i t t i l l th e 1880’ s and th e 1 8 9 0 's t o s e e c o m p a r a t i v e l y l a r g e h o t e l s o p en in g i n I s t a n b u l a f t e r th e g r e a t f i r e o f 1870 and th e ea rth q u a k e o f 1894 which de v a s t a t e d a g r e a t p o r t i o n o f th e wooden p a r t o f P e r a . Houses and b u i l d i n g s w ere r e c o n s t r u c t e d i n s t o n e a f t e r t h e s e two c a l a m i t i e s *
( H e r e t o f o r e a l l th e g u id eb o o k s w ere unanimous i n a d v i s i n g
t r a v e l l e r s t o t a k e up r e s i d e n c e i n p r e f e r e n c e i n s to n e b u i l d i n g s . The r é g le m e n t o f th e H o t e l d ' A n g l e t e r r e , one o f th e o l d e s t i n th e c i t y e x p r e s s l y porbad smoking i n th e r o o m s .)
The P e r a P a l a c e w i t h 150 rooms, run by th e S o c i é t é des W a g o n s - l i t s
I n t e r n a t i o n a u x , th e t o k a t l i a n w i t h 100 rooms, t h e B r i s t o l , th e K r o e k e r and th a H o t e l de L on d res each w i t h 80 rooms w e r e v e s t a b l i shed a t v a r i o u s d a t e s i n th e 1880' s and 1890' s . But s t a n d a r t s must s t i l l n o t h a ve im proved much as by 1910 o n l y one h o t e l i n I s t a n b u l , th e Grand H o t e l C o n t i n e n t a l e t F r a n ç a is was recommended by th e
T o u r in g Club de F r a n c e , w i t h th e r e o r g a n i s a t i o n o f th e I s t a n b u l m u n i c i p a l i t y i n th e 1 8 6 0 's c o n t r o l o f t h e h o t e l s had been g i v e n
t o th e m u n ic ip a l s e r v i c e s but t h i s s u p e r v i s i o n seems t o h ave been f a i r l y l i g h t - h a n d e d . In th e 1890' s h o t e l s w ere asked t o commu n i c a t e r e g u l a r l y t o th e p o l i c e l i s t s o f t h e i r p a t r o n s .
The H i s t o r y o f th e T o k a t l i a n i s c o m p a r a t i v e l y t h e b e s t documented one among th e I s t a n b u l h o t e l s . We s h a l l g i v e a b r i e f accoun t o f i t as i t i s a n i c e s t o r y o f a s u c c e s f u l b u s in e s s v e n t u r e s t a r t i n g w i t h M i g i r d i ç T o k a t l i a n , an Armenian r e s t a u r a t e u r owning a r e s t a u r a n t n e a r th e Grand Bazaar s p e c i a l i z e d i n T u rk is h c u i s i n e w i t h a chosen c l i e n t e l e from among t h e s e n i o r b u r e a u c r a ts o f th e n e a r - b y Sublim e P o r t e , d e c i d i n g t o expand h i s b u s in e s s by o p en in g a branch on th e f a s h i o n a b l e Grand-Rue de P e r a . W ith h i s new branch in a u g u r a t e d i n 1892 under th e name o f S p l e n d i d e , T o k a t l i a n d e l i b e r a t l y changed h i s s t y l e from t r a d i t i o n a l Ottoman t o t h e vanguard o f t e
c h n o lo g y . The S p le n d id e w i t h i t s p i a t e - w a r m e r s , i t menus hand-_
w r i t t e n i n F ren ch on paper w i t h g o ld e n fram es soon became th e " i n " p l a c e where f a s h i o n a b l e p e o p l e had t o be seen i n good company. T
T u r k is h Pashas and Beyy from t h e Sublime P o r t e f o l l o w e d T o k a t l i a n
t o t h i s s i d e o f th e G o ld e n 'H o rn and i n t r o d u c e d new ways and h a b i t s t o T u r k is h s o c i e t y . Soon t h i s was n o t enough f o r t h e e n t r e p r i s i n g
T o k a t l i a n who opened i n 1894 a g a in on th e Grand Rue a l a r g e h o t e l
secon d o n ly t o t h e P e ra P a l a c e w i t h l i f t s a n d a l l modern c o n v e n i e n ce s He f u r t h e r expended h i s em p ire by t a k i n g o v e r i n 1894 a c a f é - c o n c e r t t a t K a le n d e r on th e B osphorus. F i n a l l y i n 1905 he opened a t Tarab ya a summer annex t o h i s h o t e l whose i n a u g u r a t io n was th e s o c i a l e v e n t o f th e y e a r . A p o s t e r f o r th e annex was d e s ig n e d by
th e famous I t a l i a n p a i n t e r Z o n a r o . v
A n o th er i n t e r e s t i n g v e n t u r e was th e one run by a French d o c t o r , Dr. D u ja r d in on th e Moda p e n in s u la which a c c o r d in g t o a f u l l page a d v e r t i n th e A n n u a ire C e r v a t i f o r th e y e a r 1 8 8 3 .appears t o be s some s o r t o f a h e a l t h farm w i t h h y d r o t h e r a p y and dynamotherapy o f f e r e d as c u r e s f o r a lo n g l i s t o f a f f l i c t i o n s r a n g in g from n e t vous d i s o r d e r s t o s e x u a l d i s e a s e s . The h o t e l had grounds o v e r
35.000 squ are m e te r s and a p r i v a t e d a i r y . A c c o r d in g t o t h e a d v e r t s e r v i c e was f i r s t r a t e , " d i g n e des e t a b l i s s e m e n t s l e p lu s c o m fo r t a b l e de 1 * E u ro p e ". A s p e c i a l a llo w a n c e was made f o r l o c a l cu s toms as a p r i v a t e s i t t i n g - r o o m was r e s e r v e d f o r l a d i e s .
We s h a l l now b r i e f l y d is c u s s th e a r c h i t e c t u r a l i m p l i c a t i o n s o f th e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f h o t e l s i n I s t a n b u l . The f o l l o w i n g w i l l o n l y p r o v i d e a t h e o r a t i c a l framework, f o r th e d is c u s s i o n and d e t a i l s w i l l be d is c u s s e d o v e r th e p r o j e c t i o n o f s l i d e s .
X IX th c e n t u r y Ottoman a r c h i t e c t u r e was c o n f r o n t e d w ith th e d i f f i c u l t y o f h a v in g t o cope w i t h i s s u e s h i t h e r t o unknown. Answers had t o be found t o problem s s t r e t c h i n g f a r beyond the c l a s s i c a l r e q u ir e m e n t s o f r e l i g i ous ,mi l i t a r y and c i v i l i a n a r c h i t e t e c t u r e . Demands i n new sp h ere s o f a c t i v i t i e s had t o be m et. P r e - i n d u s t r i a l _ Ottoman s o c i e t y had perhaps no o t h e r c h o i s e than t r y i n g t o b r i n g an e c l e c t i c s o l u t i o n t o t h e s e new i s s u e s . Though i t
must be s a i d t h a t some Ottoman a r c h i t e c t s c a r r i e d t h e i r en thu
siasm f o r e c l e c t i c i s m s l i g h t l y t o o f a r . The famous remark o f th e French p o e t T h é o p h ile G a u t i e r b e a rs t e s t im o n y t o th e s e e x c e s s e s : " t h e Dolmabahçe P a l a c e i s n e i t h e r G reek n o r L f e t i n , n e i t h e r G o t h ic n or R e n a is s a n c e , n e i t h e r A r a b n or T u r k i s h " . The combined e f f o r t s
tow ards e c l e c t i c i s m o f e x p a t r i a t e European a r c h i t e c t s ( o f t e n n o t
th e more prom in en t members o f th e p r o f e s s i o n ) and o f t h e i r l o c a l hon-muslem c o l l e a g u e s w ere n o t enough t o b r i n g about a G reek r e v i v a l i n Ottoman a r c h i t e c t u r e as i t had happened in . W e s t European a r c h i t e c t u r e a t th e same t im e . I s l a m i c and O r i e n t a l forms and co n -, c e p t s had a l s o t o be taken i n t o a c c o u n t. ( 8 )
H o t e l s c o n s t i t u t e a good example o f t n e new t y p e o f i s s u e s O t t o man a r c h i t e c t s w ere asked t o s o l v e . T h ere have been c a s e s where
t h e y o p te d f o r an ea sy way o u t by a l l o w i n g th em se lve s t o be f r e e l y i n s p i r e d by s i m i l a r exam ples e x i s t i n g i n Europe. For i n s t a n c e , th e n e o - r e n a i s s a n c e fa ç a d e o f th e P e r a P a l a c e i s s t r o n g l y r e m i n i s c e n t o f th e B e r l i n K a i s e r h o f w i t h i t s k o l o s s a l u n d e rto n e s . The K a i s e r h o f was a l s o managed by th e W a g o n s - l i t s . The a r c h i t e c t o f th e P e r a P a l a c e , l o c a l l y born and t r a i n e d V a la u r y has t o h i s c r e d i t more o r i g i n a l works such as th e Ottoman P u b l i c Debt b u i l d i n g o r t h e Ottoman Bank h e a d c m a r t e r s . The f i r s t b u i l d i n g i s c o n s i d e r e d t o be a m a n i f e s t o f o r modern T u rk is h a r c h i t e c t u r e . D e s p i t e th e
g e n e r a l a s p e c t o f i t s f a ç a d e o f i t s f a ç a d e , th e Pera P a l a c e i s
n e v e r t h e l e s s sui g e n e r i s because o f i t s s t y l i s t i c r e f e r e n c e s i n
b o t h i i n t e r i o r space and d e c o r a t i v e a d ju s tm e n ts . The Grand H a l l
( s e e p la n - 24) w i t h i t s ' M o r i s c o a rc h es and c u p o la s has a d e f i n i t e l y O r i e n t a l c h a r a c t e r . The S a lo n Turc and th e t i l e d f i r e p l a c e i n t h e Grand S alon ( 22 ) em phasize t h i s . On th e o t h e r hand th e Toscan columns i n t h e Dégagement, th e b r a z e r o i n th e Bar p r e s e n t a p e c u l i a r c o n t r a s t w i t h th e r o c o c c o and a r t deco f u r n i t u r e . On th e w h o le th e p h y s i c a l p la n n in g o f th e b u i l d i n g a d e g u a tly meets th e r e q u ir e m e n t s o f t o d a y ’ s h o t e l management. The H o t e l B r i s t o l i s a s m a l l e r h o t e l d e s ig n e d on th e same e c l e c t i c l i n e s , th e H o t e l d ' A n g l e t e r r e i s , f r o m th e p o i n t o f a r c h i t e c t u r e o f l a t e Ottoman v i n t a g e . I t s fa ç a d e on th e M e ş r u t i y e t Cadde s i i s a good example o f t h e r e c e d i n g z i g z a g i n c l a s s i c a l Ottoman a r c h i t e c t u r e . One f i n d s com plex r e f e r e n c e s t o e c l e c t i c i s m i n th e o t h e r im p o r t a n t P e ra h o t e l , th e T o k a t l i y a n .
In o p p o s i t i o n t o th e i n t r i c a t e p l a n n i m e t r i e o f th e two m ajo r
-town h o t e l s , th e P e ra P a l a c e and th e T o k a t l i a n , th e Bosphorus h o t e l s had r a t h e r s im p le r p la n s which a llo w e d them t o b le n d sm o o th ly w i t h th e e n v ir o n m e n t. The Slimmer P a l a c e i n Tarabya
i s a d e l i c a t e s t r u c t u r e b u i l t o v e r t h e grounds o f a fo rm e r
c o u n t r y h o u se. As may be seen on t h e p h o to g ra p h , th e a r c h i t e c t
managed t o keep th e t e r r a c e s and t h e p i n e - t r e e s . The B e l l e v u e i n
Biiyukdere i s a fo rm e r p r i v a t e house c o n v e r t e d i n t o a h o t e l by means o f addin g a w in g . I t i s a l s o o f l a t e Ottoman v i n t a g e . The
T o k a t l i a n ' s wooden summer annex i n Tarabya which s to o d i n th e p l a
c e o f th e p r e s e n t day Tarabya O t e l i has a c o m p a r a t i v e l y more
c o m p l i c a t e d a s p e c t but i s i n b a la n c e d harmony w ith i t s background.
The h o t e l s i n th e P r i n c e s ' i s l a n d s r e f l e c t th e a r c h i t e c t u r a l mood p r o p e r t o t h e s e I s l a n d s . The S p le n d id e w i t h i t s domes, the Y a tc h Club w i t h i t s b le n d o f n e o - c l a c i s s i s m , th e R o y a l a t H e y b e li w i t h i t s r e f e r e n c e s t o G reek l i n e a r c o n c e p t s o f f e r a d i s p a r a t e y e t a t t a c h i n g f e e l i n g o f e e r i n e s s .
As a c o n c l u s i o n one may ponder on th e m u l t i f a r i o u s re a s o n s why, th e I s t a n b u l h o t e l i n d u s t r y n e v e r d i d , a f t e r a p r o m is in g s t a r t , r e a l l y ta k e o f f . Absence o f a l a r g e l o c a l c l i e n t e l e , th e f a c t t h a t I s t a n b u l was n e v e r an a c t u a l p a r t o f th e t o u r i s t c i r c u i t r a n g in g from V e n ic e t o th e Upper N i l e , th e u n w i l l i n g n e s s o f th e l o c a l c a p i t a l h o l d e r s t o i n v e s t i n a s e c t o r which d id n o t y i e l d r e t u r n _c o m p a t ib le w i t h th e i n i t i a l in v e s t m e n t may accoun t f o r t h i s . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t s i m i l a r c o n c lu s io n s may be a r r i v e d a t i n a stu d y o f th e p r e s e n t s t a t e o f T u rk is h h o t e l s . N o te s \
( 1 ) - Our thanks a r e due t o P r o f . Sedad Hakkı Eldem, Mr. Taha T o ro s and Hasan Süzer who h a ve k i n d l y h e lp e d us w ith i n f o r m a t i o n and documents. ( 2 ) - E. Is a m b e r t, O r i e n t P a r i s 1873, p 49 ( 3 ) - G era rd de N e r v a l , Voyage en O r i e n t I I P a r i s 1869, p 185 ( 4 ) - E. Is a m b e r t , o p . c i t . ( 5 ) - i b i d p 1045 ( 6 ) - F. L a c r o i x , Guide du Voyageur en O r i e n t P a r i s 1839 p 1 ( 7 ) - Is a m b e r t, o p t . c i t . p 1012 ( 8 ) - M e tin S özen , 50 Y ı l ı n Türk M im a r is i I s t a n b u l 1973 p 53 7
-Kişisel Arşivlerde İstanbul Belleği Taha Toros Arşivi
